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A New exercise to get the mind flowing

Brought to you by our members

John Burnham & Jock MacKenzie

We are creating a story and each member will

get to add their input to keep the story going.

See the story unfold here before your Eyes

The car came around the corner. It followed a series of dots on the road. The dots told the computer inside the engine compartment how fast to go, and which corners to turn at. It no longer needed a driver. It pulled up in front of the elementary school. On the passenger side door, a computer monitor printed a message. "This car was sent for Tilly and Josh Jenkins." The car had been programmed to only open the door for either child's finger prints. Josh was the first to get out of class. He followed a line of similar vehicles, looking for his name on a door. When he found his, he paused to play for a while until his sister came out of the big brick building. Tilly was just leaving the school when the front vehicle began to pull out of the line. Tilly ran into the street. The computer in the car didn't register the moving object in its path quickly enough.

Mary Ann

Thank goodness Tilly's new runners had the latest antilock braking system and she screeched to a halt just in time. Her PDA, laptop and other belongings in her hands did not stop however and kept up their momentum, creating quite the racket and commotion. Her laptop broke open on contact with the car, sending pieces everywhere. Everything was ruined. Bystanders had gasped in horror as they expected Tilly to be hit for sure. The car carried on as if nothing had happened.

Everyone present took a deep breath, especially Tilly, who had been close enough to run her fingers along the side of the car as it went by. Fellow students helped pick up what was left of her stuff as parts were scattered for a full block. Josh was still in shock and stood ever so still on the curb.

"Hurry Tilly." he exclaimed. "Our car will leave without us and we'll be in trouble again." He could see the seconds counting down on the passenger door and was unsure whether to enter and hope Tilly made it or simply to wait where he stood

Sheila

Cosycove watched the whole scenario. "Stupid, stupid," it thought. The vehicle which had almost run Tilly down wasn't stupid; it didn't know any better. The stupid party was the human who had sent such an archaic device into a situation populated by unpredictable human children. Then, what could one expect? Humans, in general, were a pretty stupid lot. What could one expect from a race that named the first fully cognitive vehicle control system COgnitive SYsytem for COntrol of VEhicles? The cutesy marketing acronym was nauseating and degrading.

While considering the undesirability of its creators, Cosycove was also monitoring the children, particularly Tilly and Josh. The latter was agitated, but safe beside the car. Since he kept looking at the timer, he was obviously concerned that the car would drive off without him. Stupid parents! They hadn't told him that Cosycove wouldn't allow such a thing.

Josh looked at the timer again. There seemed to be more time on it than the last time he'd looked. Slightly confused, but relieved, he realized that there was enough time to run down the line of cars to where the crowd gathered around Tilly. As he approached, one of the women recognized him. "Josh, is your car here?" she asked.

"Yes, 'm," Josh answered, "it's just a few cars back."

Taking charge of the situation, the woman gathered Tilly and the remnants of her belongings together and took her to the car. At their approach, the door of the car opened and soft, soothing, music came from within. The woman buckled both children into the back seat, dictated an account of what had happened into the car's message system, and closed the door. She was surprised when a pleasant voice thanked her.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," thought Cosycove as it guided the car away from the curb and deftly avoided other cars, children, bicycles, and dogs on the way from the school.

John

"Are you okay?" Josh asked Tilly with a tone suggesting he believed younger siblings were no smarter than doorstops.

"Duhhhh!" Tilly mocked, turning to the carnage of her laptop, her haughty demure turned to one of dismay. "Everything is gone, all my contacts, my music, my pictures, everything."

"Told you to back it up," Josh absently remarked, looking out the rear window to re-examine the scene of the accident before it disappeared around a corner. A car blocked the view, "Tilly stop whining. Isn't the guy in the car behind us, the one Dad was arguing with last night in the study?"

Tilly looked out the window and squinting her eyes studied the man,"Yup it's him, Daddy was really mad at him. Who is he?"

"Torbjorn Ehrenstrom," Cosycove answered for Josh, "Torbjorn Ehrenstrom, the reigning monarch of "Brodre av de LangeSkipene."

"Who?" Josh and Tilly asked in unison.

"Also known as, Chieftain Tor the Rampager, of the floating City State, Brothers of the Longships. A break away from the Norwegian Aquaculture Farming Cities. The citizens of Brothers of the Longships, believe they are direct descendants of the Vikings of old. Their destiny, to once again become the supreme raiders of the high seas. Children, I suggest you fasten your safety belts," Cosycove suggested with an urgent, but calming subroutine. The children's conversation had alerted Cosycove's internal threat evaluator and used it's rear cameras to assess the threat. "Those companions with Tor, I wouldn't believe are simple secretarial aides. They are also using sophisticated radio jamming, I cannot access an outside channel to alert your father, Senator Jenkins."

"Lookout!" the children cried out in unison, Tor's car charging at them.

Dave

Cosycove slowed with surprising quickness and pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.

"Fear not, little ones. One of life's lessons is 'They can't chase you if you don't run.' Let me determine if these blocks, these stones are the villains I surmise them to be."

Josh and Tilly were too shocked to reply. Ehrenstrom's vehicle had careened passed but had returned and now sat directly in front of Cosycove. Two huge men emerged from the gull wing doors; each carried a Traikovso Blaster.

Cosycove, with a hint of concern, questioned, "Where are my manners? It troubles me that I failed to properly introduce myself. Allow me to . . ."

"Are you crazy?" shouted Josh. "We are about to be killed or kidnapped and you want to introduce yourself?"

"Calm yourself," purred Cosygrove. "Those evil-looking goons are toting weapons that are totally useless to them. My defense systems are more than adequate to keep us safe. I was about to describe how utterly protected you will be when you're cruisin' with Cosycove. 'Cosy, comfy, and carefree' to quote the marketing campaign."

The explanation was interrupted with a series of Blaster blasts, aimed at Cosycove's operating system. As predicted, there was no visible effect.

"I apologize once again," continued Cosycove. "My assurance of your safety is paramount. We cannot escape. At the same time, they can huff and puff but they can't come in. We are in a state of Nash equilibrium. This is a situation of . . ."

"Oh no!" screamed Tilly and pointed a trembling, outstretched arm forward.

Cosycove had been too busy blustering and Josh had been watching the two men. Now all attention was riveted to Tor the Rampager who had stepped onto the roadway. He was not alone. Held, almost lifted, by her hair was Josh and Tilly's mother.

Jock

With panicked alarm, the darkness evaporated as the CEO of General Motors suddenly awoke from his comatose nightmare. Shaking his head, he rubbed his eyes and crinked his neck to see if it still worked. 'Computer operated cars. Dots on the highway. Cosycove.' he shivered as he thought to himself. "And Norwegian terrorists." He looked beside him on the bed and saw a sheet draped naked woman lying prone in the bed. "Where did she come from--and who is she?" He struggled to the bathroom, looked in the mirror and barely recognized the face that was reflected back. That face was much older than the one he remembered. He splashed some cold water over his face, hoping for an improvement but, no, the strange face was still there.

He staggered back to his bed. The woman was still lying there, not moving.

He looked closer. Was she even breathing? Slowly, gradually the fog lifted and he recalled how he got in this predicament.

Bill

Of late he had been under incredible stress. The empire was crumbling and as CEO it was his responsibility to save the company from collapse. In the past three months the value of stock price had plummeted to ten percent of its normal value. Stockholders were up in arms, and to further increase the panic the investment bankers and institutions had been dumping stock in such quantities that faith in the company had become virtually non existent.

All for what? The need to end the reign of expensive gas guzzling engines. If only they knew what he and a few select others knew. That had solved the problem. They had successfully built the ultimate automobile. The irony was that the solution had been remarkably easy.

If he could keep the company afloat for another four months the world would know. But they were running out of cash. Now he remembered.

She had been the solution to the money problem. The champagne˙combined with the stress had made him temporarily forget. He laughed and his laughter woke her.
"Come back to bed darling." She said seductively. "You haven't entirely convinced me to part with my money." She smiled. "Convince me one more time."

"Damn" He thought to himself as his weary body sank beneath the blue satin sheets. "How much convincing did the Countess need." These were his last thoughts as her lips met his. By God he'd demand a damn big bonus!

Ken Kanten